Last week's bullishness continues to fade away, with the S&P 500 ending yesterday's action up a nearly immeasurable 0.03%. And, that gain only took shape in the last few minutes of the day's trading action.Source: Shutterstock Disney (NYSE:DIS) and Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) were the proverbial problem children, albeit for understandable reasons. The former fell while the latter was off by after Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) unveiled its competing streaming service. Priced at only $4.99 per month, even offering less content than its rivals, the iPhone maker has tacitly declared something of a price war.To that end, AAPL shares gained more than 1% in response to its announcement.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsThat gain was chump-change compared to the 2.5% advance Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) shares logged today. BofA leads a group of bank stocks higher, in step with recovering interest rates. * 10 Healthcare Stocks to Buy Despite the Headlines Headed into hump-day, however, it's the stock charts of JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM), Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) and Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) that have earned a closer look. Here's why, and what may lie ahead for each. Micron Technology (MU)Just a few months ago, Micron Technology was presumed to be in serious peril. Yet another memory chip glut had lowered prices, punishing manufacturers who dared to ramp up production to meet what was perceived to be sustainable demand.This year has been dramatically different though. Not only is MU stock up, it has moved higher in a way that has set the stage for an explosive move higher from here. It will need some help to do so, and the effort may not be long-lived. The potential is tremendous though. * Click to EnlargeThe key clue here is the upside-down head and shoulder pattern. The neckline is marked in yellow on both stock charts. The theory goes, once the neckline fails as resistance, MU stock can rally nicely. * Micron shares are moving into the opportunity well-positioned too. The purple 50-day moving average line recently crossed above the white 200-day moving average line, and MU shares found support at the 50-day line a couple of weeks back. * While the basic shape of the chart is right, there are some flaws. Namely, a handful of bullish gaps were left behind since early last week, now begging to be closed sooner or later. JPMorgan Chase (JPM)Micron Technology isn't the only name on the verge of benefiting from what appears to be an upside-down head and shoulders pattern, however. JPMorgan Chase is as well. Although it's not as well-formed as Micron's and has moved a little more erratically as it has unfurled, the prospective upside is still noteworthy.In fact, JPM stock is arguably better positioned to make a nice run given a hint offered up on the long-term weekly chart. * 7 Upcoming IPOs for September * Click to EnlargeAs is the case with MU stock, the neckline of the JPMorgan head-and-shoulders setup is plotted in yellow on both stock charts. It extends all the way back to the early-2018 peak. * Simultaneously, the string of higher lows seen since December of last year is actually an extension of a support line that started to materializing in 2016. It's marked as a red dashed line on the weekly timeframe. * If the head-and-shoulders setup pans out, the move could carry JPMorgan Chase as high as $142. That 25-point move between here and there is roughly the same distance between the neckline and the low of the 'head.' Fastenal Company (FAST)Finally, the last time we looked at Fastenal Company shares back on July 22, the stock was fighting a losing battle. Its 50-day moving average line capped a rally attempt, and sent shares lower to test a major support line around $30. The bulls tried to push back, but by early August that last-ditch floor was broken.The sheer scope and speed of the selloff, however, didn't let FAST stock move all the way back to a long-established floor where it would be able to make a reversal. The rebound started to take shape just a few days later, and is sending the stock soaring to a new paradigm now. * Click to EnlargeThe old trading range framed by yellow lines appears to have been reframed. The new floor and ceiling, though far from cemented, are marked in red dashed lines. * But, if the previous technical ceiling is still in play, FAST stock is just under it right now. This would be a good place for the sellers to take a stand, or at least take profits. * What's missing with the rebound effort thus far is meaningful volume behind the move. That might take shape if Fastenal is pressured lower, but survives the weakness.As of this writing, James Brumley did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. You can learn more about him at his website jamesbrumley.com, or follow him on Twitter, at @jbrumley. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 10 Stocks to Sell in Market-Cursed September * 7 of the Worst IPO Stocks in 2019 * 7 Best Stocks That Crushed It This Earnings Season The post 3 Big Stock Charts for Wednesday: Micron, JPMorgan Chase and Fastenal appeared first on InvestorPlace.

Fastenal Co. (FAST) announced a 2 for 1 split back in April of this year. At that time, I wrote that the company was in a business that would suffer when the economy went into a tailspin and I thought it wouldn't be able to maintain its impressive upward momentum, notes Neil Macneale, editor of Stock Split Newsletter.

Here comes the trade war, and that isn't good news for Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) which dropped nearly 4% on news that U.S. President Donald Trump will impose a 10% tariff on $300 billion worth of Chinese goods at the start of September. Don't count Fastenal stock out just yet, though.The logic here is simple enough. Fastenal is the world's largest fastener distributor in North America. As the largest fastener distributor in North America, Fastenal sells heavily to North American industrial and manufacturing companies. They also source a ton of product from Asia, particularly China. Consequently, the company has been hit hard by a double headwind of slowing demand and rising costs amid escalating trade tensions.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsRevenue growth has slowed. Margins have compressed. Profits have fallen flat. FAST stock has dropped, falling close to bear market territory (almost 20% off recent highs), while the S&P 500 is just 3% off its all-time highs. * 8 of the Most Shorted Stocks in the Markets Right Now This new round of tariffs is more bad news for FAST stock. It's basically confirmation that things won't get much better anytime soon, and that Fastenal stock will likely remain depressed for the foreseeable future.But, this trade war isn't a permanent thing. Eventually, it will stop. Nobody really knows when. But, it will, because the global economy is so connected that neither side can fight with the other forever. Once the trade war does get resolved, Fastenal's headwinds will disappear. Revenue growth will pace higher. Margins will rise. Profits will rebound.So will FAST stock.As such, patience will be rewarded here. FAST sock won't turn things around right away. But, in a multi-year window, this stock does have tremendous upside in the likely scenario that a trade resolution is struck within the next few years. Fastenal Stock Won't Turnaround Just YetThe first important thing to note about Fastenal stock is that it's depressed for a reason (the trade war) and that reason isn't going away anytime soon.There are two things here: supply and demand. On the supply side, Fastenal sources a ton of product from Asia, particularly China, so as Trump has continued to impose more and more tariffs on Chinese imports, it has resulted in rising costs for a healthy portion of Fastenal's products.Fastenal has tried to hike prices to offset these rising costs. But, such efforts have fallen short thus far. Consequently, gross margins are getting squeezed. Last quarter, Fastenal reported nearly 200 basis points of year-over-year gross margin compression.On the demand side, Fastenal sells a ton of product to North American manufacturing and industrial companies. Those companies are being hit hard by the trade war. Because prices are going up, business operations are being disrupted, and everyone in the industry is uncertain about what's going to happen next.The result is, capex and investment levels are dropping. Indeed, by many metrics, U.S. manufacturing activity has plunged in 2019 to a nine-year low.As U.S. manufacturing activity has slowed, so has demand for Fastenal's products. Daily sales growth, the important revenue metric for this business, was 8%. It was the first sub-10% reading since the first quarter of 2017.Overall, then, the trade war is creating a huge drag on Fastenal's business. That drag isn't going away anytime soon. So long as it remains, FAST stock will remain depressed. Huge Upside Potential, EventuallyThe second important thing to note about Fastenal stock is that near term weakness isn't here to stay forever, and it's ultimately creating a compelling long term buying opportunity.Zooming out, the big picture fundamentals here are very good. Since 2010, U.S. manufacturing sales have grown at a ~2.5% compounded annual growth rate. Fastenal, due to its expansion and growth drivers, has significantly outpaced the industry, growing revenues at a 10%-plus compounded annual growth rate since 2010.This outperformance persists today, even in a time of turbulence. U.S. manufacturing sales have fallen flat in 2019. Fastenal reported first-quarter sales growth of 12% and second-quarter sales growth of 8%. That's impressive.Thus, Fastenal is a winning company in a long-term stable industry that's going through a rough patch right now. But, this rough patch won't last forever. Because their two economies are so connected and dependent upon one another, the U.S. and China are unlikely to fight on trade forever.Instead, Trump will keep upping the ante, China will be forced into a position to make a more meaningful deal, and a resolution will likely be reached within the next few quarters or years.Once that resolution is reached, FAST stock should jump.The math here is easy to follow. Even accounting for the trade war, Fastenal still projects as a mid-single-digit revenue grower over the next several years. Gross margins should rebound as Fastenal more consistently and optimally leverages price hikes to offset rising costs. The opex rate should keep falling since management sounded a big cost savings tone on the last call.Putting all that together, profit growth should run around 10% over the next several years. That puts 2025 EPS at around $2.50. Based on a historically average 20-times forward multiple, that implies a 2024 price target of $50. Discounted back by 7% per year (3 points below 10% to account for the yield), which equates to a 2019 price target of ~$35. Bottom Line on Fastenal StockAccording to the long term fundamentals, FAST stock is materially undervalued at the current moment. But, this undervaluation promises to hang around so long as the trade war persists. As such, patience is key here, and it will ultimately be rewarded long term once trade disputes fade into the rear-view mirror.As of this writing, Luke Lango did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 8 of the Most Shorted Stocks in the Markets Right Now * 7 Charts That Should Concern Marijuana Stock Investors * 8 Monthly Dividend Stocks to Buy for Consistent Income The post Once the Trade War Ends, Patience with Fastenal Stock Will Be Rewarded appeared first on InvestorPlace.

The market started to follow through on Thursday's rebound effort, opening higher on Friday. When push came to shove as the closing bell for the week approached, however, traders panicked again. The S&P 500's loss of 0.62% left it at 2976.61 … the lowest close in nearly two weeks.Source: Shutterstock Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) did the most net damage, losing 1.5% of its value, with investors taking Mizuho's profit-taking advice to heart. Snapchat parent Snap (NYSE:SNAP) logged the most noteworthy loss on Friday though, falling 3.6% as investors hesitate heading into its earnings report this week. The 170% rally since its late-2018 low suggests confidence, but leaves the stock subject to profit-taking no matter what its quarterly report looks like.At the other end of the spectrum, Boeing (NYSE:BA) flew 4.5% higher after the company announced plans to take a $4.9 billion charge related to its 737 debacle. Although bad news on the surface, the market may have been pricing in worse.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * 10 High-Flying, Overvalued Stocks in Danger of Crashing As the new week's trading action gets started though, none of those names are top trading prospects. Rather, it's the stock charts of Southern Co. (NYSE:SO), PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) and Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) that merit the closest looks. PepsiCo (PEP)A week and a half ago PepsiCo was put under the microscope, as it was putting pressure on what was quickly taking shape as an important support level. That floor ended up stopping the weakness before it got started. That recovery effort, however, faltered just as quickly when a familiar ceiling was revisited. Friday's tumble was the one that broke PEP stock out of that rut, for the worst. In fact, two key technical floors were shattered, opening the door to what could be a sizable selloff.The floor in question is, or was, $130.59, marked in yellow. PepsiCo was held up there a couple of times since late June. Friday's close failed to find support there. * Click to EnlargeAt the same time, the setback on Friday dragged PEP shares below the 50-day moving average line, plotted in purple. * Zooming out to the weekly timeframe puts the rally and subsequent rollover in perspective. The June stall took shape at a technical ceiling that has been in place since late 2015. * The weekly chart also indicates the stock's coming out of an overbought condition, none of which haven't resulted in some sort of pullback. Fastenal (FAST)With nothing more than a passing glance, it would be easy to chalk up the recent weakness from Fastenal to market-driven bearishness. And, perhaps that's all it is. Fastenal is inching dangerously close to a more significant breakdown though, and one more misstep could open the selling floodgates. * 7 Defense Stocks to Buy to Fortify Your Portfolio * Click to EnlargeThe good news is, the make-or-break levels are crystal clear, as is the most likely floor should the budding selloff manage to take root. * The support area to watch is right around $30. That's just below the white 200-day moving average is, and where May's low was. That area has also been resistance in recent months, making it more meaningful. * That said, FAST stock is putting pressure on that floor under pretty bearish circumstances. Last month, it met rather decided technical resistance at its purple 50-day moving average line (highlighted). * The current weakness appears to be an effort to drag Fastenal all the way back to a floor currently near $26, which tags all the major lows going back to the beginning of 2016. Southern Co. (SO)Southern Co. didn't end last week on a particularly high note. The stock fell 1.5% on Friday, peeling back on above average volume. Nevertheless, the bigger trend remains a bullish one. The support line that has been steering SO shares upward since February remains intact, and Southern Co. stock remains above its pivotal moving average, plotted in pink on the daily chart.The flavor and support for the rally is changing though, for the worst. It took a bump into a familiar resistance line to get the ball rolling, but SO is now in more trouble than it may seem to be on the surface. Click to Enlarge * The problematic ceiling is plotted in white on the weekly chart, though it has been made more problematic by the fact that it was bumped when the RSI indicator also reached an overbought condition. * Friday's bearish volume was above average, but not just more than the norm. It was the most daily distribution we've seen since April, hinting there are many would-be profit takers waiting in the wings. * While the deck may be stacked against Southern Co. shares here, the pivotal line is the purple 50-day moving average line currently at $54.95.As of this writing, James Brumley held a long position in Boeing. You can learn more about James at his site, jamesbrumley.com, or follow him on Twitter, at @jbrumley. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 7 Defense Stocks to Buy to Fortify Your Portfolio * 10 High-Flying, Overvalued Stocks in Danger of Crashing * 8 Stocks to Buy That Are Growing Faster Than Amazon The post 3 Big Stock Charts for Monday: Southern Co., Fastenal and PepsiCo appeared first on InvestorPlace.